The Democratic Party secured a decisive victory in the US congressional midterms held during Donald Trump's presidential term, according to projections by CNN's election analytics team. Democrats will thus take control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans, while also winning in numerous states previously considered Republican strongholds. The New York Times now gives Democrats more than 95 per cent odds of taking both houses of the US Congress.
The US Congress consists of two chambers – the lower House of Representatives and the upper Senate. To secure a majority in the House, a party must win 218 seats, while an absolute majority in the Senate requires 51 seats. If the balance of power in the upper chamber is 50 to 50, the Vice President of the United States casts the deciding vote, giving their party control of the Senate. After confirming their victory in the lower house, Democrats needed only two more seats in the Senate.
All 435 members of the House of Representatives and 35 of the 100 senators were up for election. In the last 50 years, it has only happened twice that both chambers of the US Congress changed party majority in the same election. Voters sent a clear message regarding Trump's policies, rising cost of living, declining democratic standards, and the unpopular war that began with Iran.
Democrat Josh Turek won the US Senate election in Iowa, defeating Republican Ashley Hinson. His victory over the former House member gave Democrats their 51st seat, securing a majority in the Senate. Turek has been a member of the Iowa state legislature since 2023, competed in four Paralympic Games, and played professional wheelchair basketball in Europe. Hinson had the support of President Donald Trump, who won by double digits in Iowa in the last presidential election, and Democrats had not had a representative from Iowa in the Senate for over a decade. The seat won by Turek was previously held by Republican Senator Joni Ernst, who decided not to seek re-election after two terms.
In Texas, 37-year-old Democrat James Talarico defeated Republican Ken Paxton, the state attorney general and a close ally of US President Donald Trump. Elon Musk helped Ken Paxton with $200 million. This is a historic victory for Democrats in a traditionally tough Republican stronghold and the second-largest US state by area. The last time a candidate from that party won a seat in the US Senate in Texas was in 1988, when Lloyd Bentsen won re-election, and Democrats have not won Senate elections in that state since. US television network CBS changed its projection for the Texas Senate race, categorising it as a "likely Democratic win". The race had previously been rated as tight, with a slight Democratic lead.
Republicans also lost the governorship in Texas. Greg Abbott called his Democratic opponent Gina Hinojosa and conceded defeat, according to the New York Times. Republican Vivek Ramaswamy expressed serious concern for the future of the United States after losing the Ohio governor's race to Democrat Amy Acton. Democrats also flipped a seat in Ohio, where Sharrod Brown defeated Jon Husted. Democratic candidate Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall to win a seat in the US Senate from Kansas. Democrat Annie Andrews won the Senate race in the previously Republican South Carolina, achieving a surprising victory over Darline Graham, sister of the recently deceased Lindsey Graham. Graham had replaced her brother, a major ally of US President Donald Trump, who died in July. South Carolina had not elected Democrats to the Senate in the last 20 years, and Trump won by 17 percentage points there in the election two years ago.
Democrat Melat Kiros (29) won the House of Representatives election in Colorado, becoming the first woman from Generation Z elected to the US Congress. The lawyer of Ethiopian descent won in Colorado on a progressive, socialist platform.
US President Donald Trump commented on the election results, in which Republicans suffered major losses, on the social media platform Truth Social. "I was not on the ballot, and if I was, we would have won by a HUGE MARGIN! Thank you for your attention to this issue. President DONALD J. TRUMP", Trump wrote. In another post on Truth Social, he asked: "Why does Fox News give space in its programming to Bill de Blasio, the worst mayor in the history of New York, to rave and babble like a madman? He left office disgraced, and the damage he caused was immeasurable. The city has never been the same, and now he tells us how to run America. Fox News is responsible for these defeats because it constantly and systematically gives space to the Democratic opposition, or even worse, as I call them, 'Dumocrats'. GOD BLESS AMERICA! President DONALD J. TRUMP". Trump also gave an interview to the NYT, stating he was ready to work with Democrats after their electoral success, but simultaneously warned that he would use his veto power without hesitation.
Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader in the Senate, addressed the public from Washington. He stated that Republicans had embraced Donald Trump, whom he called "the worst president of all time". "Republicans made a decision and followed Trump straight into the abyss", Schumer said. "Sometimes he talked about trivial, completely nonsensical things. But for a large part of the time, he was enacting measures that increased the cost of living for citizens", he added. Schumer cited areas where, according to his claims, the Trump administration had increased costs, including electricity, healthcare, and daily necessities. He added that Republicans had turned their "red wall" into a "pile of bricks", alluding to the loss of traditional Republican strongholds. "Americans voted for change, and now it is up to Democrats to deliver it", Schumer said.
Domagoj Juričić, former head of the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia and a long-time expert on international relations and political risks, appeared on N1 television to comment on the Republican defeat. "This is not necessarily the end of 'Trumpism', although this means a serious change in the institutions of power for Democrats. They gain concrete elements to check Trump", Juričić said.
Miomir Žužul, former foreign minister, commented on the US midterms from Boston for N1. Matthew Palmer, former US special representative for the Western Balkans, commented on the US midterms from Washington, with emphasis on the region to which Croatia belongs. "I don't know if this is just about tonight, this whole year is very important for the entire planet. There are many elections and social movements that will determine global politics in the coming years. The elections in Serbia brought major changes and that affects the whole region", Palmer said. "People who will come to influential positions in Congress should help stabilise relations in the Western Balkans", he added. "The elections in Serbia will lead to changes not only in the Balkans but also in Washington. However, I must emphasise that in terms of foreign policy and diplomacy I would not attach importance to these midterms because the system does not work that way", Palmer said. "People have legitimate concerns that the system does not provide them and their children with the life they want, so they expect governments to respond better to their needs. I think it is the responsibility of all governments to respond to that. I am an optimist", he concluded.
Former US ambassador to Croatia Nathalie Rayes joined N1 from Cambridge to comment on the US midterms. By taking control of the House of Representatives, Democrats will have significant influence over President Donald Trump, writes BBC. It is not yet known what size majority Democrats will have. It remains to be seen whether it will be narrow, like the Republican majority in the past two years, or significantly larger. Winning the House was easier for Democrats than winning the Senate, so it cannot be concluded from this that they will take control of that chamber of Congress as well. The election result indicates the direction of the election night and suggests that the rise in support for Democrats, recorded in a...
